LAST month at the full Southampton council meeting I proposed a referendum for the Millbrook and Freemantle wards so residents can express their views as to whether they are for or against the plans of Helius to build a biomass power station in the docks near to homes.

Councillor Dave Shields Labour councillor for Freemantle seconded the motion.

We proposed that the vote should correspond with the police commissioner vote in November to cut down the cost.

The Government has said that we cannot use the same polling stations or staff and extra polling stations and staff would have to be used. This would increase the cost enormously.

A by-election has just been announced in Corby as a Tory MP is standing down and the vote will be staged the same day as the police commissioner vote.

Will the government have different polling stations for the MP and commissioner vote in Corby and if not why can’t we use the same polling stations and staff for the referendum vote on the biomass in Southampton.

These petty rules need to be changed so people can have their say.

DAVID FURNELL, Labour councillor for Millbrook.